The robust tuberous begonia lends beauty and freshness to the carpet.
May 1, 2016 6:41 AM   Subscribe

Every two years in Brussels, they build a huge carpet out of flower petals and sod grass in the main square. The Flower Carpet is 75 m long x 24 m wide and is typically made out of 600,000 flowers. Why do they do it? Why not! It's pretty.

Here's a YouTube video of the construction of the carpet in 2014.

And here's a video of the Opening Night for the carpet in 2014, complete with light show and fire crackers.
posted by colfax (14 comments total) 11 users marked this as a favorite
 
We should just do and make more things because 1) they are pretty 2) they make us feel good 3) we can share them with others.

And I would live if that means more in all forms of public space. Sooo nice.
posted by yueliang at 7:01 AM on May 1, 2016 [8 favorites]


Gorgeous. I need to plan a trip to Brussels in 2018.
posted by Fig at 7:49 AM on May 1, 2016


Oh, that is so lovely!
posted by sciatrix at 8:01 AM on May 1, 2016


Hope it's not a windy day! But, that would probably be really pretty, too...
posted by rebent at 8:11 AM on May 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


They need this, right now. I'll try and go.
posted by cromagnon at 8:20 AM on May 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


My parents tell a story about when my father was doing post-doc work in Oxford and they went to the Continent during the school break and they were in the Netherlands and they got their entire car draped with braided chains of tulips. Because with these bulb plants, it's not the flower that is the valuable part to sell -- it's the bulb. The flower is waste product.

This carpet is beautiful and astounding. A European flower version of Buddhist sand paintings, or whatever. Truly great! Thanks for posting!
posted by hippybear at 8:48 AM on May 1, 2016


Cool.
posted by benito.strauss at 9:09 AM on May 1, 2016


argh what wretched timing, i'll be there the week after!
posted by cristinacristinacristina at 9:33 AM on May 1, 2016


Ok, this is cool.

Years ago, i have bene to a madonna festival (8th of may?) in a small town in central italy, Acqua Pendente. The town is divided in "houses" and each works trow the night before to glue flower petals on a board and make a sacred picture that then get paraded around town the next day before mass. Stealing flowers from the other houses is allowed.
posted by thegirlwiththehat at 10:28 AM on May 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


Years ago, i have bene to a madonna festival (8th of may?) in a small town in central italy, Acqua Pendente.

Wow, I looked up some pictures of the flower mosaics and they are amazing! Also really cool that the process of making those mosaics also helps foster interpersonal bonds both within each group and in the community.

Travelogue #1: Acquapendente’s Festa dei Pugnaloni – An Enduring Bond with an Italian Family and Community

Travelogue #2 (picture of work-in-process): http://www.muntingnayon.com/page/101243/index.php

The Pugnaloni of Acquapendente: The very last photo in the slideshow (click to expand) shows the lovely textured surface of one mosaic.
posted by cynical pinnacle at 11:07 AM on May 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


Can you roll around on it? This is not a destructive impulse, I swear. I just...really need to know that's an option in the world right now. Even though the site strongly implies it's kinda soggy.
posted by zinful at 11:14 AM on May 1, 2016


Ooh I swear I saw that done on a much smaller scale somewhere (some other places in Italy? Spain? local festivals?) but never heard about the Brussels thing specifically, not that I remember. Lovely.

Not quite the same thing but (well, technically the "opposite", as it’s flowers suspended from the ceiling, rather than a carpet) reminds me recently I saw a link about the flower installations of a London artist, Rebecca Louise Law, they’re really quite impressive and beautiful.
posted by bitteschoen at 11:29 AM on May 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


some other places in Italy? Spain? local festivals?

I think there's a few of them, but l'Infiorata di Genzano started in 1778 and apparently inspired to some extent August Bournonville's one act ballet Flower Festival in Genzano which is how I knew about it before ever stepping foot in Italy
posted by romakimmy at 1:26 PM on May 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


Man, you got me all excited. I'm going to Brussels.. but next week, not August. Phooey.
I suppose there's no giant carpet this next week instead?
posted by nat at 2:14 PM on May 1, 2016


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